By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Stakeholders in the Sierra Leone film industry have toughened their campaign against piracy by calling on the media to step forward and be part of the fight "to save the country’s young movie industry".
They made this call at the ministry of tourism in Freetown while addressing the media on the increase in the copyright infringement or piracy.
Abdul Tejan-Cole, a popular actor, director, producer and script writer pointed out that it was hard to take care of oneself or their family when they were in the movie business in Sierra Leone.
He expressed disappointment at the fact that even President ERnest Bai Koroma “craves to speak and shake hands with Jim Iyke and other foreign actors whenever they come to this country. Why can’t that be the case for us locals?” he wondered.
In Nigeria and other countries, he said, it would be impossible for foreign actors to get more morale than locals ones do, citing an instance in which he featured in a Nigerian movie but was paid less than the others because he is not a Nigerian.
“This shows that we should never be proud of what does not belong to us”, Tejan-Cole said.
Though an anti-piracy law now exists, he was doubtful of its proper implementation, asking “where is the secretariat to man its applicability”.
Interim chairperson of the Sierra Leone film industry, Mickey Perry, described the movie industry as “a business in which one engages in order to maximise profit. But if the situation continues as it is right now, no one will be able to make a living out of it”.
Perry said that recently they had cause to call in the police to arrest someone who had about 80 pirated audio and video CDs around the PZ area. He said the matter was now being investigated for possible criminal prosecution.
The chairman said although it was impossible for piracy to be eradicated completely, they would plead with the people to help them reduce the copyright infringement rate by a greater percentage.
A press release issued last week by the National Film Council revealed that over 70,000 youth have been employed by the film industry, adding that “any attempt to undermine this development will strongly affect the [government’s] Agenda for Prosperity”.
(C) Politico 23/01/14
